Complementary and Alternative Treatment Methods Used for Patient Care by Caregivers to Alzheimer’s Disease at Home

Abstract

Aim: This study was carried out to determine the complementary and alternative treatment methods used for patient care by caregiver to Alzheimer’s disease at home. Material and Method: This study, designed in accordance with descriptive research principles, was applied in a hospital between June 15, 2014 and December 20, 2015 in Samsun. The participants were 177 Alzhemier’s disease caregivers who registered to Home Care Services Centre and who agreed to participate to the study. The data of the study were collected with ‘Data Collection Form’. In evaluating the obtained data, number, percent and Chi-square (χ2) test were used. Results: In the study, the average age of the caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients is 48.8±13.2 and the 83.6’s% is women. The frequency of the complementary and alternative treatment methods used for patient care by caregivers to Alzheimer’s disease at home is 61.6%. It was found out that 21.5% of the caregivers prefer massage, 30.5% prefer honey as herbal methods, and 51.4% prefer religious practices for patient care. It was determined that 59.6% of the participants did not consult to the medical staff before/during their use of complementary and alternative treatment methods. The relationship between the status of achieving to the expected results of the complementary and alternative treatment methods used for patient care by caregiver to Alzheimer’s disease at home and the status of economical support was found statistically significant (p <0.05). Conclusion: It was found that the use of the complementary and alternative treatment methods used for patient care by caregivers to Alzheimer’s disease is high. In accordance with this result, it can be suggested that caregivers are to be provided with information about the complementary and alternative treatment methods used for patient care that ca regivers to Alzheimer’s disease to caregivers. © GATA.